New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-05-25
TO TUNNEL THE HUDSON.
RUMoRED PLAN OF THE Pennsylvania,


DESTROYS OF LANDING PASSENGERS IN WASHING.
TON sQUARE-A sCaEME TO COST ~ 100000.
PHILADELPHIA, May "a. The Pennsylvania Rail-
road Company has for many years been endeavor.
ing to find means by which to reach the heart of
New-York City. This has been for some time made
apparent by the rapidity with which the New
York Central Railroad Company is SCATTERING up the
cream of the passenger business because travellers
not compelled to cross the Hudson River In fer
ryboats to reach its depot. Under the new man.
agement of the Central more attention is paid to
the comfort of passengers and the result is that the
passenger business ofthe road has increased rapidly
wit hin the past year.
To the subject of reaching the centre of New
York City the Pennsylvania Railroad Company
has devoted its time and money. II has been
found to be utterly rmpracticable to bridge the
Hudson River, 1t would interfere seriously with
the commerce of the port of New-York. and apart
from TINS the cost Of terminals such as would be
needed in New-York City above ground would be
SO fabulous as to make it out of the question. The
plan of building double-decked ferryboats upon
which to take passengers across the Hudson River
and landing upon the east side of West-st bv
means OF bridge is only intended as q temporary
affair.
The company after two years OF patient study of
the situation has concluded that the only means of
accomplishing this object is by an underground
route Even this would require tremendous out
lay Of money. but it is intended to tighten the
burden of expense by making all the lines Of rail-
way entering jersey City party to the expense.
These lines would be the Pennsylvania, Erie Jer.
sey Central, Delaware, Lackawanna and Western,
Lehgh Valley, Susquehanua and Western. and the
West Shore All of these it is stated can be gwen
access to the underground route by LAYING addi-
Thao otatap Ia Ia hat tho n
road companies will not be the only ones interested
in the enterprise, but that New-York and foreign
capitalists will also be interested.
The plan cOntemplates two single-track tunnels
under the Hudson River one for incoming and one
for outgoing trains this plan having been selected
because of the impossibility Of collision Each OF
these will be lined with brick thirty inches thick.
laid in hydraulic cement aud encased in iron a
quarter Of an inch in thickness. The measurements
by seventeen feet in height. The approach to the
tunnels the Jersey City side will be near jersey
ave.. and the declivity TO under ground will be
$500 feet back from the bulkhead with grade of
two feet In 100
In New-York sCity the tunnels will be almost
directly under Washington square, that portion OF
the city having been chosen because OF the absence
of houses overhead. An excavation Will be made
here that will occupy as much space as does the
with electricity and give it ali the conveniences
and comforts of an above ground station. Passen-
Will be enabled 10 reacn the surface Dy means
of powerful elevators or starcases. 1t is also pro-
posed 10 have the tunnels lighted by electricity
and to have teegraphic and telephone communi-
cation through them.
The approach to the tunnel on the New-fork
side will be upon down grade three feet IN the
hundred beginning ut Washington Square, for
half the distance to the river where there Will be
a sharp ascent to get mp under the river bed. The
length of the tunnels from shaft TO shaft Will pc
5000 feet, and IL is calculated that 1t will take
two yeaIs working regularly to complete them
both. The approach on the Jersey CITY
side will be 1000 feet and on the
NewYork side A, 500 feet, making the total length
of tunnel and approaches fraction less than TWO
aud one-half miles, The calculation OF the engl-
neers is that there will not be less than twelve feet
of eartn between the top of the tunne and the bed
of the river The Pennsylvania Railroad Company
is one perfectly practicable. fhe estimates made
of the cost of the work show that the expense Of
the terminals alone will be $3000.000; land in
New-York for tunnels will bs $4,000, 900 and the
terminal improvements will be 80 OOO,O 600 making
the total cost of the operation 81 900. .000
It Is reported that the Pennsylvania Railroad
Company has bought the charter of the company
which Is now at work upon tunnel under the
Hudson River and will operate under that. This
charter 1t is said gives them the right 10 go under
ground in any part of New-York or Brook yn. It
Is reported that attempt will be made to utilize
this old tunnel, although considerable work was
done upon it at an expenditure OF over OOO,OOO.
ENGINEER HASKINS INCREDULOUS.
HE DOES NOT BELIEVE THAT WORK WILL BE
STOPPED ON THE PRESENT TUNNEL